Thüringer HC clinch main round berth with ease

Thüringer HC are through to the main round of the Women’s EHF Champions League after a convincing win over HC Podravka Vegeta, who will now go on to the Cup Winners’ Cup.

GROUP B

Thüringer HC (GER) vs HC Podravka Vegeta (CRO) 29:19 (13:6)

Podravka would have needed a miracle to avoid being relegated to the Cup Winners’ Cup, having lost their home game against Thüringer by six goals.

The poor start of the second leg in Nordhausen did not promise an unlikely comeback.

Thüringer immediately took control of the game with goals from the outstanding Eliza Buceschi, who scored from each and every shot (7/7) she took in the first half.

Podravka struggled to find a way through the German side’s massive defensive wall and the margin quickly started to grow.

Svenja Huber and Iveta Luzumova proved unstoppable for the visitors, who managed to score only six goals in the first half, and the match was practically won by the German champions at the break.

Podravka’s defense worked fairly well and Dora Krsnik and Ekatarina Nemeskalo did their best to keep the visitors in reach, but the Croatian outfit had no chance of making Thüringer players nervous.

The visitors lost their fighting spirit in the second half, and Thüringer cruised to win by double digits.

The German team are in the main round with their convincing win and they still have a chance to jump past Fleury Loiret if they beat the French team in Orleans in January.

Podravka will play on in the Cup Winners’ Cup’s Last 16 - for which the draw will be held on 24 November.